Life Starts Now
by Kiyo Kage
Summary: Miguel is back from the war, but the battle is far from over. Kai and Miguel battle through PTSD together, trying to help Miguel recover from his time in the Middle-East.


Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

A/N: Title came from Three Days Grace "Life Starts Now."

'Cause life starts now

You've done all the things that could kill you somehow

And you're so far down

But you will survive this somehow

Because life starts now

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Miguel's letters had become less frequent as time went on. The few letters that did come in were scaring Kai. It seemed that the Spaniard was caring less and less about what was happening. At the end of his tour, his letters focused more on the thought of going home than dealing with what was going on around him.

That day was finally here. Kai stood in the airport, surrounded by hundreds of other citizens, all waiting in anticipation for their soldiers to come home. One lady, holding a four-year-old boy, stood next to Kai.

"Are you waiting for your brother, young man?" she asked, letting her son run to play with one of his friends.

"Boyfriend," the phoenix stated, checking his watch. Miguel's plane should be landing in the next ten minutes. The older lady's eyes clouded with negative judgment. "Don't even say it. He's put his life on the line, just like your lover. He deserves the same respect." Before the lady could answer, Kai felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you gonna five the lady a break and welcome me home?" A familiar voice asked.

Kai turned around to face Miguel, who was holding his carry-on bag over his shoulder. The slate-haired blader wrapped his arms around the gargoyle's neck, pulling him down for a kiss. Miguel dropped his bag, wrapping his arms around Kai's waist while licking the phoenix's lower lip, asking for entrance, which he immediately got. After a few minutes (and many disapproving noises), the two broke apart.

"Missed me, didn't you?" Miguel asked. Before he left, there was no way that Kai would have instigated that public display of affection. Kai wasn't ashamed of Miguel, he just felt that private matters should stay private.

"Nope," Kai teased, letting Miguel wrap an arm around his waist while they went to retrieve the blonds' luggage. "Listen, I have dinner ready for us back home. Let's get out of here."

"Actually, there are some guys I want you to meet. My squad," Miguel explained, walking his lover over to a group. "We'll heat dinner up when we get back. I want to show you off."

"So this is the eye candy we heard about all the time," one man, six feet tall and a solid build, said, walking over to Miguel. "I'm Andrew."

"Kai," the phoenix replied, shaking hands with the man. Who just happened to be the husband of the lady he had been talking to.

"I didn't mean to offend you earlier," the lady, Karen, apologized. Kai's only response was a nod. He wasn't ready to forgive the woman. After all, that look on her face was clear-no gay man could ever measure up to a soldier in her eyes, apology or not.

"Kai, let's go home," Miguel smiled, taking his lover's hand and grabbing his bags. "I could do with a nice, hot bath and a nice, hot, night." Kai blushed.

"Not in public," he tried to scold the gargoyle, but found it hard seeing as Miguel's blue eyes were dancing.

"Wherever I want," the taller boy countered. "Let's go."

The ride back was a quiet one. Both boys sat in the back seat, Kai leaned back on Miguel's chest. Miguel played with Kai's hair, running his fingers through and letting it fall, while Kai just leaned into the touch.

Once they got back, Miguel threw his bags into the spacious living room, pulling Kai into a hug.

"I've missed you so much," Miguel mumbled into Kai's neck.

"Same here. This place seems so empty without you," Kai leaned back into the embrace, holding Miguel's hands in his.

Dinner that night took place in front of the television. Miguel thought it'd be interesting to see the war from the eyes of the general public, being able to observe, not experience. Nothing prepared him for what he was to see.

"A young woman came to our reporters, asking for her younger brother. She told him that her brother was in one of the villages that had been attacked, and most likely died in the fire that ensued. However, she refuses to give up home, and is desperate for proof that her brother is alive or if he has passed on," the lady on the screen announced.

"No…I didn't want to…don't make me...there are children!" Miguel whispered, eyes clouding with tears.

"Miguel, what's wrong?" Kai panicked, wrapping his arms around the blonde.

"They'll die…please don't…" Miguel broke off, breaking down into complete sobs. "I didn't want to, Kai…I didn't want to attack him. I had to, otherwise the insurgents were going to kill us."

"Miguel, nobody's blaming you. You did what you had to to survive," Kai tried to soothe the other boy, rubbing circles on his back.

"But he didn't get a chance to do what he needed to survive! We killed them, killed children who would have never been able to harm us! That's what I am, Kai, a killer…" Miguel pulled back. "How can you still want me knowing what happened?"

"Miguel, you are NOT a killer," Kai pulled Miguel back towards him; "A killer is somebody who has no remorse, who killed because they got pleasure out of it. You were thrown into a life or death situation, and you did what you had to."

For the next few hours, Kai held Miguel as he cried. He had no idea how to help the gargoyle through the challenges that he was sure to face while living as a civilian, but he was going to do his best.

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There we go! First chapter, only took me…five days once I started. I'm still trying to piece it together, though.

As you can see, Miguel with PTSD won.

Press the pretty button and review!


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